There are 44 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2008 Ford Escapein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the fuel sensor was defective; and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure returned soon after repair. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 219,000.
Car will run fine then, all of a sudden, goes into no drive mode. Will not go forward or reverse without a lot of gas pedal pushing ( like if the e brake is on then pop and lunges forward, but there is no brakes being applied, just gas.) Now car is sitting because mechanic pulled code P0A7C and said can't drive until fixed.
THE GAS PEDAL STICKS AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE. WHEN IT FINALLY DOES ACCELERATE IT IS VERY QUICKLY WHICH CAN SEND YOU INTO TRAFFIC. THIS CAN HAPPEN ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING. IT CAN HAPPEN FROM A COMPLETE STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, IT CAN ALSO HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN YOU GO AGAIN TO PRESS THE GAS, NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. THE GAS PEDAL WILL THEN SUDDENLY PRESS DOWN VERY QUICKLY
WHEN I WILL DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, I WILL GET MASTER VEHICLE ELECTRICAL HAZARD WARNING SIGN ON MY DASHBOARD, A "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE, AND MY VEHICLE ENGINE WILL INSTANTLY SHUT OFF. THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE- FIRST TIME, I WAS DRIVING FROM CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO TO ST. LOUIS, MO AND PULLED OFF FROM THE HIGHWAY AND STOPPED AT THE LIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, AND WON'T START BACK UP UNTIL A FEW HOURS LATER. THE SECOND TIME I WAS DRIVING FROM ST. LOUIS, MO TO CREVE COEUR, MO. DURING THAT TIME I WAS DRIVING DOWNHILL AND WAS BRAKING WHEN I GOT THE SAME WARNING LIGHT AND MESSAGE, AND MY CAR ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF. BOTH OF THESE INCIDENTS HAPPENED WITHIN THE SAME MONTH OF JULY OF 2019.
GAS PEDAL STICKS, I HAVE TO PRSS IT TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER FOR ACCELERATION, IT WON'T LET ME EXCELERATE OVER 5 MILES AND HOUR AND WILL COAST, IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEN SEEMS TO RETURN TO NORMAL, HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THIS WINTER.
THE CAR COMES TO A STALL ON THE INTERSTATE I-75 LOST TRACTION SHUTDOW THE COMBUSTION ENGINE AND A WARNING COMES UP (STOP SAFELY NOW) . THE SAME HAPPEN 8 TIMES IN A MONTH LOCALY IN WESTON. ALL THE TIMES I TURNED OFF THE KEY AND RESTARD. IT SEEMS THE SAME PROBLEM AS PER RECAL 14V-526 OR 14V526000, LOCAL DEALER DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ANY PROBLEM OR RECAL (SAWGRASS FORD)
SOMETIMES WHEN I PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL...IT JUST WON'T DEPRESS AND I AM PUSHING ON THE PEDAL WITH MY FOOT - BUT I CAN'T MAKE THE CAR GO, AND THE PEDAL SEEMS 'STUCK'...IT HAS LED TO A FEW DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHERE I TRIED TO MERGE ONTO A HIGHWAY AND PULLED OUT - BUT THEN COULD NOT GET THE GAS PEDAL TO DEPRESS! EVENTUALLY AFTER 3-10 SECONDS THE PEDAL WILL DEPRESS AND I CAN GET THE CAR TO MOVE BUT I NEVER REALLY KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO BE 'STUCK' WORSE THAN OTHERS.... I CAN TELL IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN AS THE AIR GETS COLDER - IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND I USED TO THINK IT WAS BECAUSE I HAD A FLOOR MAT THAT I WAS CERTAIN WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND GETTING IN THE WAY- BUT WHEN I REMOVED THE FLOOR MAT THE ISSUE STILL PERSISTED. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
BRAKE PEDAL DROPPED TO FLOOR WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MILES PER HOUR. APPLIED BRAKES AND COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. THEN CAR LOST ALL ACCELERATION POWER. A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED.
WHEN YOU ARE STOPPED AND IDLING THE CAR, IT STALLS OUT. IT STALLS WHEN IDLING IN GEAR, BUT NOT WHEN IN THE PARK POSITION. IF YOU SLOW DOWN AT A LIGHT OR FOR TRAFFIC OBSTACLES, IT SOMETIMES STALLS BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY STOP. AS LONG AS I HAVE NO STOP LIGHTS OR OTHER OBSTACLES TO SLOW ME DOWN I'M FINE. IT MOSTLY HAPPENS ON CITY STREETS. SOMETIMES BUT NOT ALWAYS IT SEEMS TO BUCK A LITTLE. I AM FEMALE AND KNOW LITTLE ABOUT CARS, MY HUSBAND TOOK CARE OF EVERYTHING, THIS WAS HIS VEHICLE, BUT HE PASSED AWAY LAST MONTH AFTER A LONG ILLNESS. I DID HOPE IT WAS THE FUEL FILTER, SO I HAD THAT REPLACED A FEW DAYS AGO. IT DID NOT HELP. WHEN THIS OCCURS NONE OF THE MANY WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH COME ON, NOR DO THEY COME ON OR STAY ON OTHER THAN WHEN YOU FIRST START THE CAR. THIS IS A SITUATION THAT SCARES ME, BUT AT PRESENT, IT IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION, AND THERE ARE MANY THINGS REQUIRED OF ME, RELATING TO MY HUSBAND"S DEATH. I'VE READ ALL THE ISSUES OF STALLING IN MANY FORDS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER 2008, IN JUST ABOUT EVERY MODEL INCLUDING THE ESCAPE. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. NO DOCUMENTATION, NO ACCIDENTS YET.... THE STALLING HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST A MONTH. MONTH.
WHILE IDLING THE WARNING MESSAGE "STOP VEHICLE SAFLEY" APPEARED AND THE CAR WENT INTO "LIMP" MODE. AFTER CUTTING ENGINE OFF TO RESET, THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AGAIN. AFTER A SHORT TIME OF IDLING AGAIN, THE VEHICLE GAVE THE SAME WARNING MESSAGE. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANCE TO A SAFE PARKING AREA IN "LIMP" MODE. THE VEHICLE THEN HAD TO BE TOWED AND ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY REPLACED.
WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, THE RED TRIANGLE LIGHT CAME ON, WITH A WARNING TO "STOP NOW, PULL OVER." LUCKILY I WAS ALREADY DRIVING SLOWLY AND I STOPPED SAFELY. THE ENGINE THEN DIED. I TRIED RESTARTING, BUT THE RED TRIANGLE CAME BACK ON, AND THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DEAD HYBRID BATTERY, WITH A REPLACEMENT COST $12,000. UNFORTUNATELY, THE 8-YR BATTERY WARRANTY EXPIRED JUST A FEW MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS. I ASKED ABOUT RECALL 14S19, WHICH SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER AND FORD CORP CUSTOMER SERVICE BOTH SAID MY SPECIFIC VIN WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. ABOUT 18 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS, I HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE, WITH THE RED TRIANGLE WARNING LIGHT COMING ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SAME DEALER. THEIR INITIAL DIAGNOSIS WAS A DEAD HYBRID BATTERY, WHICH WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE NEXT DAY, THE DEALER CALLED BACK TO SAY THEY HAD DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH FORD CORPORATION, AND THEY CHANGED THE DIAGNOSIS. THEY REPLACED THE "IGNITION SWITCH AND HOUSING" (NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY) FOR $743. THE CAR RAN OK UNTIL THE PROBLEM RECURRED THIS MONTH. *TR
IDLES VERY ROUGH AT STOPS . MUST HOLD BRAKE AND GAS AT SAME TIME TO KEEP ENGINE FROM DIEING .DANGER IS POSSIBLE HITTING SLIPPING OFF BRAKE AND HITTING GAS PEDAL CAUSING ACCIDENT. ..
IN COLD WEATHER THE GAS PEDAL STICKS, I HAVE TO PUSH IT TWICE, AFTER 50 KM WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM IT IS NOT SO BAD. MY SON IS SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR SO I HAD TO BUY HIM ANOTHER ONE, I STILL DRIVE THE ESCAPE.
WHILE SITTING IN A DRIVE THRU THE GAS PEDAL WENT FLAT TO THE FLOOR. HAD TOWED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THROTTLE CABLE BROKE.NEEDED REPLACED AND THROTTLE BODY,INJECTORS CLEANED. COST APPROXIMATELY $800.00. LOOKED ON INTERNET AND FOUND IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. CALLED DEALER AND NO HELP. CALLED FORD CORPORATE AND THEY TOOK INFORMATION BUT WOULD NOT OFFER ANY HELP. IF THIS HAD BROKE WHILE DRIVING WE AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD COULD OF BEEN INJURED OR KILLED. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY RECALLED IN MY OPINION. ALSO THIS FIX IS NO GUARANTEE IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. NICE THOUGHT TO HAVE WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC.
UPON EXITING MY VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT AND APPROACHING THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR I OBSERVED A DRIPPING OF LIQUID COMING FROM THE AREA IN FRONT OF AND TOWARD THE INSIDE OF THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE. I FELT IT WAS GASOLINE AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER TO GET A DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE RESULT WAS THAT THE FUEL TANK ON MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE WAS LEAKING. AFTER THE DEALER SERVICE INVESTIGATION IT WAS REPORTED THAT IT CAME FROM AN AREA ON THE SIDE WALL OF THE TANK AND WAS RUST THROUGH. THE AREA DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE PROPER COATING ON IT.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR AND VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION OR THROTTLE RESPONSE. VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP AND ENGINE STOPPED. CAR RESTARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. SEEMS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO OTHER REPORTED ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY ISSUES WITH OTHER FORDS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ENGAGED WITH A SLOW RESPONSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V526000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,902. UPDATED 06/29/16*LJ
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V526000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
AFTER YEARS (SINCE EARLY ON IN THE OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW FROM THE DEALER) OF INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH MY GAS PEDAL STICKING (MOSTLY IN COLDER WEATHER), THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WAS BY FAR THE WORST AND, LIKE MANY OTHER 2008 FORD ESCAPE OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE, I AM VERY LUCKY THAT IT OCCURRED IN AN AREA WHERE I WAS NOT IN IMMEDIATE DANGER FROM OTHER CARS. I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO MOVE FORWARD THE PEDAL STARTED TO RESPOND THEN FELL TO THE FLOOR WITH NO FURTHER RESPONSE. THERE WAS NO POWER TO MOVE FORWARD AND NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I LIFTED THE PEDAL TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS NOT STUCK ON ANYTHING AND IT JUST FELL LIMPLY BACK TO THE FLOOR. I MANIPULATED THE ARM UNDER THE PEDAL WITH MY HAND UNTIL IT LOOSENED UP AND THE PEDAL WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE AGAIN. I THEN DROVE TO MY DESTINATION WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND IF MY CAR DOES NOT BECOME PART OF THE "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM," I AM SURE THAT IT WILL NOT BE THE LAST. THE NHTSA INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED THROTTLE BODY FAILURES IN 2005-2012 FORD ESCAPE VEHICLES SHARING THE SAME OR SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR PART, DID NOT RESULT IN ENOUGH VEHICLES BEING INCLUDED IN THE RESULTING FORD "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM," WHICH ONLY INCLUDED CARS FROM 2009-2012, WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED MANY MORE CARS. THE COMPLAINT FORUMS ARE FILLED WITH MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE FROM AT LEAST 2008 FORD ESCAPE OWNERS. TO NOT INCLUDE EVERYONE FROM THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION IS DOING A DISSERVICE AND IT WILL BE SAD DAY WHEN THE REST OF THE CAR OWNERS ARE INCLUDED ONLY BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS DIED! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V526000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Showing 1–20 of 44 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026